Argentina unbeaten at world basketball champs

SAPPORO – Reigning Olympic champion Argentina and 2004 Athens runner-up Italy took very different paths to remaining unbeaten at the World Basketball Championships Sunday but both had impressive triumphs.

Walter Herrmann scored 22 points and Luis Scola added 18 as Argentina routed Lebanon 107-72 in a Group A match while Italy overcame a woeful start with a rally in the final minutes to defeat Slovenia 80-76 in Group D. “I’m happy because tonight we played with great concentration against Lebanon,” Argentinan coach Sergio Hernandez said.”We concentrated for 40 minutes and we didn’t care about the score but played hard for the whole game.”Argentina, which boasts National Basketball Association stars Manu Ginobili and Andres Nocioni, overwhelmed a Lebanese squad that upset Venezuela 82-72 in its opener and is serving as an inspiration to a war-ravaged nation.The Italians fell behind 28-14 but closed the game with a 14-5 run that included all nine of Matteo Soragna’s points.Marco Belinelli scored 26 points to lead the third-quarter fightback that brought Italy within reach.”We started the wrong way,” Belinelli said.”We suffered but we kept concentrating on the game.In the third quarter we were fighting for every ball.It was a tough game.We expected that.”NBA Toronto Raptors forward Radoslav Nesterovic scored nine of his team-high 17 points in the fourth quarter but it was not enough for the NBA-laden Slovenians to recover.Turkey and Germany also stayed atop their groups with triumphs.Demond Greene scored a game-high 18 points as Germany buried New Zealand with 16 three-pointers in an 80-56 Group B victory.”We had to not only play a very defensive game but we also had to move the ball really well.And we did that,” German Dirk Bauermann said.”We made a lot of open shots.When you play like that and make shots, it’s fun for everybody.”The Turks staged a gritty fightback to bounce Australia 76-68 in Group C, with NBA Milwaukee Bucks standout Ersan Ilyasova leading the way with 17 points.Brazil bounced back from an upset loss to Australia to defeat Qatar 97-66.Tiago Splitter scored 18 points and Marcelinho Machado added 13 to lead the South Americans to the Group C victory.African champion Angola rallied to defeat Japan 87-62 in Group B.Puerto Rico downed stubborn Senegal 88-79 in Group D and Nigeria, coming off a Group A victory over reigning champion Serbia and Montenegro, lost 84-77 to Venezuela.Sixteen teams will advance from preliminary play into the knockout rounds.Nampa-Reuters”I’m happy because tonight we played with great concentration against Lebanon,” Argentinan coach Sergio Hernandez said.”We concentrated for 40 minutes and we didn’t care about the score but played hard for the whole game.”Argentina, which boasts National Basketball Association stars Manu Ginobili and Andres Nocioni, overwhelmed a Lebanese squad that upset Venezuela 82-72 in its opener and is serving as an inspiration to a war-ravaged nation.The Italians fell behind 28-14 but closed the game with a 14-5 run that included all nine of Matteo Soragna’s points.Marco Belinelli scored 26 points to lead the third-quarter fightback that brought Italy within reach.”We started the wrong way,” Belinelli said.”We suffered but we kept concentrating on the game.In the third quarter we were fighting for every ball.It was a tough game.We expected that.”NBA Toronto Raptors forward Radoslav Nesterovic scored nine of his team-high 17 points in the fourth quarter but it was not enough for the NBA-laden Slovenians to recover.Turkey and Germany also stayed atop their groups with triumphs.Demond Greene scored a game-high 18 points as Germany buried New Zealand with 16 three-pointers in an 80-56 Group B victory.”We had to not only play a very defensive game but we also had to move the ball really well.And we did that,” German Dirk Bauermann said.”We made a lot of open shots.When you play like that and make shots, it’s fun for everybody.”The Turks staged a gritty fightback to bounce Australia 76-68 in Group C, with NBA Milwaukee Bucks standout Ersan Ilyasova leading the way with 17 points.Brazil bounced back from an upset loss to Australia to defeat Qatar 97-66.Tiago Splitter scored 18 points and Marcelinho Machado added 13 to lead the South Americans to the Group C victory.African champion Angola rallied to defeat Japan 87-62 in Group B.Puerto Rico downed stubborn Senegal 88-79 in Group D and Nigeria, coming off a Group A victory over reigning champion Serbia and Montenegro, lost 84-77 to Venezuela.Sixteen teams will advance from preliminary play into the knockout rounds.Nampa-Reuters